Documentaries

Documentaries

• 1.
  Documentaries The purpose ofthe documentary is to document (to report with evidence something that has actually happened)
• 2.
  Types of documentary •Fully narrated – an off screen voice over is used to anchor the meaning of the visual. This is mainly used for natural history documentaries like frozen planet. • Fly on the wall – People in the programme are not aware they are being filmed. It gives a real life snapshot of behaviour as the subjects are filmed without interference.
• 3.
  • Mixed documentary– This uses a combination of interviews, observation and narration. Some archive material is also included. • Self reflexive – The subject of the documentary acknowledges the presence of the camera and often speak directly to the documentary maker. This is frequently used in documentaries about celebrities lives.
• 4.
  • Docudrama –A re-enactment of events as they are supposed to have happened. • Docusoap – This combines elements of the documentary and soap genres. It is a continuing documentary that revolves around the same “characters” e.g. pinapple dance studio
• 5.
  Features of aDocumentary • Observation – Observation places the audience in the role of eye witnesses to the realities portrayed. The subject does not acknowledge the camera. • Interview – The interviewee does not acknowledge the camera, they address the interviewer not the audience • Exposition – The line of argument in a documentary what the documentary is saying.
• 6.
  • Dramatisation –All documentaries use a sense of drama throughout the observation element. These events appear to occur naturally in front of the camera. • Mise en scene – Documentary makers carefully compose shots so they show everything they want the audience to see
• 7.
  Types of narrativestructure Open Unanswered questions and loose ends that need tying up are left at the end e.g. soaps Linear Events follow chronological order. Single strand One narrative thread. Closed No loose ends or unanswered questions are left. Non Linear Doesn’t follow chronological order e.g. use of flashbacks and flash forwards. Multi Strand More than one narrative thread, these often converge or overlap. For example Coronation street has an open, linear, multi strand narrative structure